Description
Cool cucumber lemonade delivers a zesty summer splash straight from Mediterranean gardens. Crisp citrus notes dance with garden-fresh cucumber, creating a thirst-quenching drink that cools you down instantly.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (from approximately 5–6 large lemons)
- 1 small to medium cucumber (about 6–8 inches), peeled and chopped
- 2–3 cups cold water, divided
Sweetener:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup boiling water
Garnish and Serving:
- Ice cubes
- Optional: cucumber slices
- Optional: lemon slices
- Optional: fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Craft a luscious simple syrup by dissolving granulated sugar in boiling water, stirring until completely integrated. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
- Transform cucumber into a silky liquid by blending peeled chunks with cold water until uniformly smooth.
- Strain the cucumber puree through a fine mesh sieve, applying gentle pressure to extract maximum juice. Discard remaining pulp.
- Combine freshly extracted cucumber juice with tart lemon juice and the cooled simple syrup in a spacious pitcher.
- Modulate the beverage’s intensity by incorporating additional cold water, adjusting sweetness and concentration to personal preference. Thoroughly blend all components.
- Chill the lemonade for 30 minutes at 40°F, enabling flavors to harmonize and temperature to drop.
- Present the refreshing elixir over crystalline ice, embellishing with delicate cucumber medallions, vibrant lemon rounds, and aromatic mint sprigs for an elegant finishing touch.
Notes
- Swap sugar with honey or agave for a natural sweetener alternative that adds unique flavor complexity.
- Boost nutrition by leaving cucumber skin on, which contains extra vitamins and fiber.
- Experiment with herb variations like basil or rosemary to create unexpected flavor profiles that elevate the classic lemonade.
- For a low-calorie version, use stevia or monk fruit sweetener instead of traditional simple syrup to reduce overall sugar content.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Mocktails
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 134
- Sugar: 34 g
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg